Technical Field
This invention relates to handheld computing devices. More particularly, the invention concerns a handheld computing device operable to automatically detect cues describing the device's environment and user actions performed with the device, learn which cues and cue combinations are relevant to predict user actions, and then in response to occurrence of the relevant cues, predictively implementing the appropriate user action or configuring the device in anticipation of user action.
Description of Related Art
For many years, portable computers have been getting smaller and smaller. Tremendous growth in the wireless industry has produced reliable, convenient, and nearly commonplace mobile devices such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), global positioning system (GPS) units, etc. To produce a truly usable portable computer, the principle size-limiting component has been the keyboard.
To input data on a portable computer without a standard keyboard, people have developed a number of solutions. One such approach has been to use keyboards with less keys (“reduced-key keyboard”). Some reduced keyboards have used a 3-by-4 array of keys, like the layout of a touch-tone telephone.
As a completely different approach, some small devices employ a digitizing surface to receive users' handwriting. This approach permits users to write naturally, albeit in a small area as permitted by the size of the portable computer. Based upon the user's contact with the digitizing surface, handwriting recognition algorithms analyze the geometric characteristics of the user's entry to determine each character or word.
As still another approach for inputting data using small devices without a full-sized keyboard, there are touch-sensitive panels on which some type of keyboard overlay has been printed, or a touch-sensitive screen with a keyboard overlay displayed. The user employs a finger or a stylus to interact with the panel or display screen in the area associated with the desired key or letter.
Aside from data entry, some portable computers recruit these technologies so that users can perform functions beyond data entry, such as operating menus, configuring application programs and hardware, issuing commands, and other GUI functions. These functions may further require different hardware or software devices such as designated pushbuttons, touch screen operated menu areas, rocker switches, hand-operated cursors, and the like.
Despite the absence of normal user interfaces like a full-size keyboard and mouse, then, the foregoing technologies make it quite feasible for users to fully interact with a portable computer of reduced size. Although feasible, this user-machine interaction is unavoidably burdened with greater potential delay, error, and difficulty of use, owing to the small sized user interface. Consequently, designers are continually searching for new technologies to make the interface more rapid, accurate, and natural.